title: Influence of fluvastatin on cardiac function and baroreflex sensitivity in diabetic rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether fluvastatin is able to ameliorate the impaired cardiac function or baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) in rats with type 1 diabetes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Type 1 diabetic rats were induced by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ) and then administered fluvastatin (1.5, 3.0, and 6.0 mg·kg(-1)·d(-1)) for 30 d. Food and drink intake was recorded every day. Fasting blood glucose (FBG) level, blood lipid level, cardiac function and BRS were measured in diabetic rats after fluvastatin treatment for 30 d.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The polydipsia, polyphagia and abnormal biochemical indexes of blood were significantly ameliorated by the the 3.0- and 6.0-mg doses of fluvastatin in STZ-induced diabetic rats. FBG was decreased in diabetic rats after fluvastatin treatment for 30 d. The left ventricular systolic pressure (LVSP) and the maximum rate of change of left ventricular pressure in the isovolumic contraction and relaxation period (±dp/dt(max)) were elevated, and left ventricular diastolic pressure (LVEDP) was decreased by fluvastatin. The attenuated heart rate responses to arterial blood pressure (ABP) increase induced by phenylephrine (PE) and ABP decrease induced by sodium nitroprusside (SNP) were reversed by the 3.0-mg dose of fluvastatin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Fluvastatin regulates blood lipid levels and decreases the FBG level in diabetic rats. These responses can protect the diabetic heart from complications by improving cardiac function and BRS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, State-Province Key Laboratory of Biomedicine and Pharmaceutics, Harbin Medical University, China.
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Li-hua
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Jing-yuan
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Che
authors.forename: Guan-yi
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Bao-feng
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ai
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017704:Baroreflex / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D002320:Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena / Q000187:drug effects*; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005229:Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000077340:Fluvastatin; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007211:Indoles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D005229:Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D007211:Indoles; D000077340:Fluvastatin